The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in premium processing fees for several popular visa and immigration categories, including the H-1B work visa, L-1 intra-company transfers, Optional Practical Training (OPT), and employment-based green card petitions. The revised fee structure will come into effect from March 1, 2026, and will apply only to applicants who choose premium processing, which provides faster adjudication of applications. Standard filing fees will remain unchanged for those who opt for regular processing.
USCIS said the increase has been implemented under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, which allows premium processing charges to be revised every two years in line with inflation. The current hike reflects inflation levels recorded between June 2023 and June 2025. The agency added that the additional revenue will be used to improve processing infrastructure, manage growing demand, and reduce existing backlogs across the immigration system.
Under the revised fee schedule, premium processing for Form I-129 petitions covering H-2B and R-1 visa categories will rise from $1,685 to $1,780. For all other Form I-129 classifications — including H-1B, E-1, E-2, E-3, H-3, L-1A, L-1B, O-1, O-2, P, Q, and TN visas — the premium processing fee will increase from $2,805 to $2,965.
Employment-based green card applicants will also face higher costs. The premium processing fee for Form I-140, which covers immigrant petitions for alien workers across EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and other employment-based categories, will rise from $2,805 to $2,965.
International students and exchange visitors will not be spared from the hike. For Form I-539 applications, which are used to extend or change non-immigrant status for F-1 and F-2 students, J-1 and J-2 exchange visitors, and M-1 and M-2 vocational students, the premium processing fee will increase from $1,965 to $2,075.
Students applying for work authorization through Optional Practical Training and STEM-OPT will also pay more for expedited processing. The premium processing fee for Form I-765, which covers these work permits, will rise from $1,685 to $1,780.
The changes are expected to have a major impact on Indian professionals and students, who make up the largest group of beneficiaries under US employment-based visa programs. Indians account for more than 70 percent of all H-1B approvals every year, while thousands of Indian graduates rely on OPT and STEM-OPT to gain work experience in the United States after completing their studies.
Premium processing remains entirely optional and is usually chosen by applicants and employers who need faster decisions for reasons such as job changes, urgent travel plans, visa extensions, or joining dates with new employers. Those who do not require immediate adjudication can continue using regular processing at existing filing fees.
USCIS stated that the revenue generated from the higher premium processing fees will be used to enhance adjudication processes, modernize systems, respond to increasing application volumes, and fund immigration and naturalization services. The agency said this will help ensure more reliable and efficient processing in the long run, even as demand for US visas and work permits continues to grow.